Automatic air controller for pressure tanks



H. H. KUNZE AUTOMATIC AIR CONTROLLER F'OR PRESSURE TANKS Filed July 29, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

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WITNESSES I Wm ATTOR N EY v distributing system Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

HERMAN n. KUNZE, or mamssa, LLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC AIR OGNTROLLER FOR PRESSURE TANKS.-

Application .fi1 ed July 29, 1921.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN H. KUNZE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Marissa, in the county of St. Clair and tate of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Air Controllers for Pressure Tanks, of which'the following is a specification.

ThlS invention has reference to automatic air controllers for pressure tanks, and its object is to maintain a'suitable air pressure in the tanks of water distribution systems for household or like purposes, so that a constant pressure is caused at all times throughout the system, irrespective of the tendency of the water to absorb the air and so cause failure of the water distribution.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a water tank, with a pump for maintaining a supply of water in the tank, together wlth a suflicient air pressure to force'the water through all parts of the system under working conditions, and to automatically maintain the air pressure despite losses of air by absorption, or for other reasons.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming part of this speci cation, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified, so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

igure 1 is aside elevation of a water employing pneumatic pressure.

'- Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but

viewed from the opposite side.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the structure shown in Figure 1.

igure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fi re 3.

igure 5 is a side elevation of a casing shown in the preceding fi ures, with a needle valve structure,'inclu ed therein, shown in vertical section.

Fi re 6 is an elevation, partly in section and i oken away, of the adaptation of the air control for the water tank located in the interior thereof.

- there is Serial No. 488,493.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a tank 1, which may follow the usual lines of pneumatic pressure tanks employed in domestic water systems. Connected to the tank is a pump 2 and a motor 3 for forcing water into the tank 1, the motor being electrically driven, although this feature is not shown in the drawings.

Carried by the tank 1, is a basic casting 4, communicating with the tank 1, by a pipe 5, and terminating at the. end remote from the pipe 5 in a coupling head 6, from which rises a stand pipe 7, to the upper end of which made fast a head 8, entered by a pipe 9, in turn entering the top of the tank 1. The heads 6 and 8, are connected together and joined in an air and water-tight manner to the standpipe 7, by tie-rods 10, in the structure shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The p1.- mp 2 is connected by a pipe 11 with a source of water supply, through the pump 2, which latter discharges by" another pipe 12 1n.c o the tank 1, so that when the pump 2 1s 1n operation, water is supplied to the tank 1, and by means of the pipe 5, reaches the casing 4 and enters the stand pipe 7, while a balance between the tank 1 and the stand is maintained by the communication furnished by way of the pipe 5, stand pipe 7 and pipe 9, whereby despite the pressure established, the level of liquid is maintained in the tank 1 and stand. pipe 7, except that as the amount of water isincreased, the level of the liquid is raised, until the air pressure Within the tank 1*is increased to a predetermined limit.

In the stand pipe 7., there are two cup structures 13, 14, joined together in'spaced relation by a rod 15, so as. to rise and fall together. The cup 13 is an inverted cup, open at the bottom and closed at the top, while the cup 14 is installedin the stand pipe 7 in a right-side up position. The two cup structures 13 and 14, are spaced apart so that the cup 13 is located near the top of the stand pipe 7 and the cup 14 is located near the bottom of said stand pipe. The rod 15 is continued through the bottom of the cup 14, though fast thereto, into the easing 4, and is there pivotally connected to a rock arm 16, mounted on a rock shaft 17, extending through a stuffing box 18, to the exterior of the casing 4, where the shaft 17 is made fast to oppositely directed rock arms 19, 20, respectively. he arm 19 carries a counterweight 21, which mayor not vwater and air under pressure, a force pump connected with the tank, a source of water supply for said pump, an, air inlet connected to the pump, an air valve associated with said air inlet, means normally spaced above the surface of the water in the tank and responsive to a rise in the level of the water above the lower surface thereof to open said air valve to cause the storage of air under pressure in the tank, and means normally submerged and responsive to a fall in the water level which uncovers the same to close said air valve and cut off the entrance of air into the tank.

8. In a pneumatic water supply system having a water tank for receiving water under pneumatic pressure, a combined water and air pump for supplying the tank with water and with air, means normally submerged and balanced by the water in the tank but operable when the level of the water is low enough to partially uncover it to close the air supply, and means normal] above the level of the water but operab e by the buoyant force of the water when the latter reaches it to open the air p y; a

9. a pneumat1c water supply system, a pressure tank, two Spaced connected float members associatedtherewith, said members being spaced apart by a distance equal to that between the upper and lower water levels determined for the system, a force pump connected with the tank, a source of water supply for said pump, an air inlet connected to the pump, and an air valve for said inlet controlled by the rise and fall of the floats to admit airto or cut it off from the system.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

HERMAN H. KUNZE.

Dec. 1924 1,517,843 C. I D. LAKE PRINTER RI-BBON C(NTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug- 30, 1921 

